IT MATTERS TO ME: INFORMING YOUTH SERVICES DELIVERY 19 dynamics. Finally, youth in Surrey have expressed that developing services for youth should be established with them involved (City of Surrey, in press). Implementing a holistic approach encourages the focusing on a person’s strength and building resiliency amongst youth and their families (Clark, 2001). This could be established by supporting young people and their families with developing a fitness plan, establishing nutritional goals, addressing environmental issues, supporting positive relationships, discovering peace, finding purpose for life, instituting a consistent belief system, and promoting self-care (Clark, 2001). Evidence has demonstrated that there are benefits to including quiet spaces in youth service program designs (Spalding, 2003). The Quiet Place Project was implemented in several schools in England, and results demonstrated improved mental, physical, and spiritual health in at-risk young people. Also, libraries, known for offering quiet spaces, are still a popular resource accessed by young people today for they provide quiet environments that often cannot be found in their homes (Regalado & Smale, 2015). In addition to quiet spaces, incorporating the outdoor programing into youth services delivery can provide young people with positive outcomes on their mental and physical health (Eigenschenk et al., 2019). Connecting to natural land environment experiences not only increased physical and mental health benefits, it also promoted social benefits such as interpersonal development and reduction in criminal recidivism. Additionally, Metzgar (2012) supported that outdoor activity provides young people with “unique psychological and physical benefits” (para. 1) when compared to “traditional indoor” activities (para. 1).
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